By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

“Jesus” is coming to your mailbox in October.

The “Jesus” Video Project intends to mail the dramatic story of the Saviour of mankind to every household in Fayette County, thanks to a coalition of Christian leaders, pastors and local churches. They have raised $75,000 locally to mail out the award-wining portrayal of the life of Jesus to Fayette residents, part of a multi-county mailing this fall.

“We're hoping our area will be an example for others to follow,” said Mary Frances Bowley, who is a member of First Baptist Church of Peachtree City and a key organizer for the project.

The group's goal is to see every home in Georgia receive “Jesus,” an 83-minute video filmed in 1978-79 at more than 200 locations in the Holy Land. The video is available in 530 languages and has been in circulation in 230 countries and viewed by more than two billion people.

The full-length film, based on the New Testament's Gospel according to Luke, from which the video was taken, is a Warner Brothers production done by John Heyman. Jesus is played by Brian Deacon, a Shakespearean actor from England.

The Jesus Video Project took off here back in February with the collection of donations at approximately 37 county churches of all sizes and denominations.

Coweta County churches will distribute their videos the same time as Fayette, Bowley added. A prayer walk through various neighborhoods in the county is scheduled for Aug. 22, about 40 days prior to the video's release, Bowley said.

“Prayer walking is a way to pray for God's blessing for our neighbors,” she explained.

The Campus Crusade for Christ will run the address labels for the mail-out, which is estimated to cost about $2.70 per video. The difference between the money raised and the actual price of mailing out 100,000 videos will be covered by an anonymous donor, Bowley reported.

Campus Crusade for Christ instigated the idea of sending out the video in the U.S. based on its use as a powerful conversion tool in foreign countries. Churches in Alabama have completed their mailing, along with those in Texas and Ohio.

Inside every package is a response card which asks the recipient to contact a church, or send in the card for more information, if they have been “touched by the comforting and encouraging words of Jesus.”

While it is difficult to document, project volunteers say that millions of people have responded with professions of faith to the message of hope contained in “Jesus.”

Bowley said a phone number will be publicized as well, and phone banks will follow up with calls to video recipients asking them simply if they have watched it and what reaction, if any, they had.

“This is a gift,” said Barry Odom of Braelinn Baptist Church, referring to the video. His hope is the same as all the pastors and church volunteers participating, to have the viewers “develop a relationship with God.”

A celebration luncheon will be conducted for all pastors in Fayette County Aug. 12 to discuss ways the community and congregations can prepare for receiving the gospel.

The event is sponsored by J93, the Joy FM, The Citizen Newspapers and Sonrise Bookstores.